Friday Five: Linkin Park

My heart hurts. Yesterday, Chester Bennington, the lead singer of Linkin Park, took his life. I don’t think I’ve ever cried because of a celebrity death, but this one brought me to tears….yes, I’m 26 and crying about a rockstar, but Chester (and Linkin Park) are different than most celebrities.

This news is devastating, not only for the music world, but for everyone. Chester was known for his humility and his kindness, and for this to happen shows how powerful depression and mental illness can be, and please, if you are struggling, please go talk to someone, because you matter and you are loved.

Chester was rock of Linkin Park. Most of the lyrics were written by him, and I would argue that they are the most poetic lyrics of any rock band ever. They never just rocked for rocking sake, they always had a message and meaning to their songs, which is why so many people connected to them, and their fan base was so strong.

I was a teenager when their first cd, Hybrid Theory, came out, and they have been my favorite band since. Yes, my music tastes have changed like crazy since my early teens, but Linkin Park has always been there. Why? It all goes back to the lyrics and the passion. LP made people feel wanted and important. They took teenage angst and gave it meaning. They gave all the weird, mixed up emotions not only validation, but understanding. I did not have hard teenage years, but like every teenager I felt misunderstood–LP calmed those feelings.

The saddest part about all of this is that Chester’s words changed people, they fixed people, they improved people, they healed people, but for whatever reason, they couldn’t heal him.

Today, I’m just going to share some excerpts from my favorite band. Some will be old, some will be new, all will be amazing.

I was and still am shocked. I love their music. Crawling is what got me into them but In The End is what got me to fall in love with them. I cannot imagine what his family and teammates are going through right now if I’m feeling this bad. Rest in Peace, Chester. Keep on singing.